Epiphany
by cnw72
Summary: Post 4x17 to the season finale 4x24, 6-8 chapters exploring the changing relationship of Densi. Sometimes an Epiphany is like being struck by lightning, other times it s a slow realization that while every thing seems the same on the surface, a deep change has taken place. There's no going back. For babyitsbeautiful on Tumblr. Chapter 3 finally up.
1. Chapter 1

_**This will be a two or three shot story exploring the crazy/ wonderful relationship known as Densi post 4x17. Pure fluff, pure fun, purely based off my take of Tuesday night's amazing episode. This story is for babyitsbeautiful on Tumblr and of course, all of you wonderful readers. Remember, it all began with an Epiphany...**_

_**Disclaimer: Still not mine.**_

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_Without the quest…there can be no epiphany. –Constanine E. Scaros_

CIA Agent Sobatino and Kensi walked into the crowded bar towards an empty table where he pulled her chair out and they both sat facing one another. They had already grabbed dinner in the restaurant where the conversation had flowed easily and laughter rang out frequently from the two.

""The live band should be starting soon," Kensi told her companion who smiled quickly at her.

"I'm surprised you agreed to meet for dinner and a drink tonight," Sobatino said with a warm smile. "It was unexpected."

"Why is that?" she asked teasingly. "Are you a serial killer in disguise?" He burst into surprised laughter before shaking his head.

"No reason and definitely not," he answered humor dancing in his eyes. "So I know you're not interested in me Agent Blye, so why did you say yes? Was it my charming personality or my dry wit?" Kensi's eyes widened in shock for a moment before she dissolved in another fit of laughter.

"Here I thought I was being the perfect first date, flirting, attentive…that bad, huh?" she asked with a grimace.

"Nope, your perfect," Sobatino answered with an easy smile.

"Then what gave me away?" she asked puzzled.

"The fifty times you've looked at your phone under the table was the first hint," he said dryly.

"I'm sorry, it's just…" Kensi flushed.

"So have you told him that you love him, yet?" he asked gently.

"What? Who? We're just partners, friends," she said defensively. "We're not even compatible," slid out in a rush as her eyes closed in embarrassment.

"Compatible?" his brow raised quizzically.

"Stupid quiz in a magazine," she muttered and looked away. "Only rated a two out of five."

"You two seemed pretty compatible to me," he grinned. "Finishing each other's thoughts, rushing into a building full of Russian mobsters, jumping to his defense."

"Partners do that. We have each other's back," she answered quickly.

"Yep, they do," he agreed, "but they usually don't look at each other the way the two of you do."

"You're just seeing things," Kensi argued.

"Nope, more like- been there, done that," giving her a challenging look.

"What?"

"Remember yesterday when I was talking about falling in love? Well I did twelve years ago with my first partner. She was my best friend- amazing, wickedly smart, funny, tough as nails…" Sobatino's voice drifted off.

"What happened?" Kensi finally asked.

"I never wanted to take the risk of losing her, being partners and all. So I kept quiet. We worked together for three years when she was pulled into a deep cover and assigned a new temporary partner for a major case. She met someone else, another agent, I figured it wouldn't last and things would go back to normal," he said with a sad smile. He looked up at her as he continued, "Now she's married to another federal agent here in Los Angeles and has a beautiful little girl."

"I'm sorry," Kensi finally said.

"I'm happy for her. She found her happily ever after, just not with me."

"But…"

"Not to be depressing but yesterday morning my partner and I were making plans to spend the weekend surfing in San Diego, now today I'm helping make arrangements to send his body home to be with his family. You risk your life every day without hesitation, why not risk your heart?" he asked seriously.

"Your awfully smart for an CIA agent," she teased softly, her mind still swirling. "But what if…"

"He does," he said with complete confidence.

"How do you know. You just met us?"

"Michelle told me so," he said with a smile. Kensi's eyes widened as she made the connections. "Even if she hadn't it's still obvious," he said as he looked behind her and smiled deviously.

"You are a very strange date," Kensi finally said in exasperation as he broke into laughter, grabbed her hand and pulled her onto the dance floor as a slow ballad began to play. He bent down and whispered in her ear.

"He found out about our little date at 11, less than an hour later he's here with steam pouring from his ears," he said as he twirled her in his arms. He slightly tightly his hold and lowered his hand to her hip. He felt her tighten defensively in his arms.

"Unless you would like a broken hand…"

"Just relax and play along," he whispered against her neck. "If they find my body in the desert tomorrow, he'll be the number one suspect." She snorted softly.

"He hates the desert…but maybe if you wash up on shore?" she teased quietly before becoming serious. "I really am not into playing games."

"We're not playing games, I'm simply given the two of you a little push in the right direction," he said smiling against her neck. "Shark food, huh?"

"This is just a little push? What exactly would a shove be?" she asked pulling back slightly from his tightened arms as he again glanced upwards before answering.

"Kissing you," Sabotino finally answered merriment twinkling in his eyes as her eyes narrowed warningly.

"Not unless you want to be punched in your CIAeyeball," came calmly from behind them as she stiffened instantly in his arms. Sabatino's face broke into a quick smile before he murmured in her ear.

"Mission accomplished," he said as threw a wink at her blonde haired partner that was now glowering at them from only a few feet away. "I have an early flight, I'm sure he'll see you home safely," he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and headed towards the bar leaving the two partners standing in the middle of the dance floor.

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**Up Next: Deeks, Deeks and more Deeks...you know I cannot leave Tuesday night's last look alone, right? Some epiphanies strike quickly and leave you breathless.**

**Reviews are love and make me very happy.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow...first off Thank you for all of the follows, reviews and faves already. What an amazing response to this little fluff piece. Very sorry for the delay in posting but real life called. Hope chapter 2 was worth the wait.**

**Disclaimer: Still not mine.**

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_Earlier in the Day_

"Deeks…"

"Deeks…"

"DEEKS!"

"Ouch!" Deeks jerked up from his desk as a red stress ball bounced off his forehead. "Was that really necessary, Kens?"

"Yup," she said with a smirk as she leaned back in her chair.

"You know you could put an eye out with that thing," he said half seriously as he rubbed the red spot between his eyes.

"Hmpphh…that will be next time if you don't knock it off," Kensi said exasperated.

"Knock what off?" Deeks innocently asked.

"Deeks…." She started warningly before her expression changed from an irritated scowl to a puzzled frown. "Do I have chocolate in my teeth?" she finally asked gently.

"No," Deeks answered quickly.

"My bra strap showing?" she tilted her head questioningly. Deeks took an extra-long look before answering.

"Nope, everything looks to be in its proper place," as he wiggled his eyebrows lasciviously. "I could give you a hand though if you need it." Kensi closed her eyes tightly and slowly counted to ten before reaching over to Sam's empty desk and grabbing his blue stress ball, squeezing it tightly.

"Are you trying to make me crazy today?" she finally asked in frustration.

"Is that a trick question?" Deeks asked cautiously as he stared at the blue ball clenched between her fingers and winced before throwing her an innocent smile.

"You are seriously tap dancing on my last nerve today," Kensi said as she threw him a dark look. "Are you trying to make me kill you?"

"Is that tap, salsa or tango?" he asked with a hint of laughter in his eyes when she growled loudly. "Need another chocolate donut, Fern?" still eying the ball in her hands ready to duck if needed.

"You do realize that if I killed you no one would be able to find your body, right?"

"Crazy looovveeee….oh, my craazzzyy love," Deeks began to sing loudly off key.

"Ummm, am I interrupting?" Nell asked cautiously from the bottom of the staircase as she looked between the two partners.

"Nope, you're just in time to keep me from committing murder," Kensi looked at Nell in relief while Deeks just threw her a bright smile. "I'm going to lunch," she growled as she dropped the stress ball back on Sam's desk and stomped towards the exit.

"All righty, then," Nell said barely stifling her laughter when Deeks winked at her as she followed Kensi out.

Deeks collapsed back in his chair and breathed a large sigh of relief that he avoided (okay…irritated the heck out of Kensi) what could have been a very humiliating moment in their relationship. After all, it's not every day your caught staring moon eyed with a hard on at your partner and best friend.

He sighed loudly as he hopelessly dropped his forehead on his desk as he realized it was going to be a very long day.

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_At Lunch_

The two women sat in the corner table of a nearby outdoor café chatting comfortably.

"So, what did I walk in to today?" Nell asked with a smile.

"Nothing important. It's just…he keeps looking at me today," Kensi finally answered biting her lower lip.

"Looking at you?" Nell questioned with a raised brow.

"Yes, looking…No, more like staring at me constantly."

"He's staring at you?" Nell repeated.

"Like he's never seen me before, there's this strange look in his eyes…"

"So he's looking at you funny while he's staring… so you threatened to bury him?" Nell asked trying to hide the laughter in her voice.

"When you put it like that it sounds pretty dumb, huh?" Kensi finally let out a soft laugh. "It's just he's acting strange today…its freaking me out a bit."

"Stranger than normal?" Nell asked with a humorous smile.

"Point taken," she smirked as she picked up her soda and took a drink.

"So when are the two of you going to stop dancing around each other and do the horizontal tango?" Nell asked casually as Kensi began choking on her soda spewing the liquid across the table.

"Excuse me?" Kensi continued to cough. "We're just friends, partners."

"Mmm, hmm."

"What is that supposed to me?" Kensi blustered her voice squeaking.

"Nothing…it was just an innocent question," Nell said with a quick smile.

"Nell, there is no such thing as an innocent question with you," Kensi said knowingly. "Spit it out."

"I was just wondering when Sam and Callen will be back." Nell smiled wickedly as she changed the subject reaching into her bag to pull out a clipboard.

"Later today," Kensi answered absently still watching Nell suspiciously. "Why?"

"I have this partner survey Deeks gave me yesterday and I would love to have them fill it out…for Hetty, of course," Nell blinked innocently at a frozen Kensi before continuing. "I am sure Hetty would love to know what their favorite body part is…."

Kensi reached over and tore the survey off the clipboard and shoved it in her purse.

"Whoever took the survey last wrote in ass…" Nell continued on as if nothing happened. "He does have a rather nice one, doesn't he?" she asked with a knowing smirk.

Kensi opened and closed her mouth repeatedly when her phone buzzed she gratefully grabbed it and answered.

"_This is Kensi," she answered quietly. "Oh, hi," and a moment later, "Tonight, seven? Sounds good. See you then," she said smiling as she hung up ignoring the questioning look Nell sent._

"Have plans tonight?" she finally asked.

"Sabotino is in town until tomorrow and asked me out for dinner," Kensi answered defensively. "What? He just lost his partner…I've been there. He can use a friend."

"I'm sure," Nell said with a gentle smile. "But it does not change the fact that you both are hopeless."

"Nell…." She started warningly.

"Both too stubborn for your own good," Nell exhaled loudly. "I always heard love makes you blind…not stupid."

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_After Work_

Deeks opened his apartment door and headed straight for the kitchen where he grabbed himself a beer and plopped himself on the couch. He picked up his remote and began surfing channels before landing on a Top Model marathon and mindlessly watching it.

"Friday night...seriously I am watching Top Model instead of being with a model on a Friday night. What has happened to me," he muttered under his breath.

Somehow over the past six months he has went from a date every weekend to spending most of his off time hanging out with his partner. Sometimes they simply shared a pizza and watched movies into the wee hours of the morning. Other times they would go to the beach or to their favorite hangout, once she even dragged him out to a fancy restaurant. A few weeks ago he spent his Saturday as her partner in a shooting exercise and the following Friday taking a class in financial management. Strangely, both events should have been ridiculously boring but instead…..they were better than any date he had been on in a very long time.

He groaned out loud and laid his head back on the couch. Monty's ears perked up as he came over and jumped on the couch lying his head on his master's lap and whined softly.

"So what am I going to do, my friend. I'm in deep," he asked his canine friend. Over the past two and a half years his feelings for Kensi had grown from irritation to deep respect, from a partnership by force to a friendship by choice. Somewhere along the way a slight attraction developed into a "thing" that constantly bubbled just below the surface.

Yesterday, his careful controls all blew up in his face. He should have known he was in trouble when teasing her about making babies gave a warm feeling in his gut, a sense of rightness. One moment he was listening to an agent tell him that he was lucky that he and Kensi were just partners, and all he could think about was….how wrong he was. That they were more than partners, they were best friends, that they were more…

Then last night his world froze and everything he thought he knew was turned upside down. Kensi looked at him with tears in her eyes and asked him not to leave her. He threw out a joke to make her smile…but in that moment he was lost. He realized that his heart was no longer his own…that he had fallen in love with his partner.

"Sunshine and gunpowder…" he murmured softly with a wistful smile. "So, buddy, do I tell her? Or do we just keep it our little secret?" he asked Monty softly as he stroked his head gently. "Decisions, decisions."

His phone beeped as he reached over to look at his new text message from Nell as he read the message in confusion. His eyes began to narrow as he realized what he was reading.

"_Having fun on ur date with hot CIA man? Or 911?"_

"_Nell? What? 911?" he quickly texted back and a moment later his phone beeped again._

"_Oops..Wrong person. Texting K…Srry." Nell responded again. _

"Guess that answers that…she's out with him," he muttered darkly his anger quickly rising. He continued staring at his phone before shooting off another single word text.

"_Firehouse?" _

"_Yes, but no 911" she responded again._

Deeks knew she often took first dates to a restaurant/ nightclub and a text with 911 meant that she wanted to be rescued from a miserable date. The message meant it was going well. He continued to stare at the phone in his hands as he contemplated his next move.

"Maybe it's time for an evening out…" Monty whined in agreement. "The Firehouse is a good place to meet someone, don't you agree?" he asked with a devious smile as he headed towards his bedroom where he quickly changed clothes and headed out.

As Deeks drove towards the nightclub he could feel his anger rising with each passing mile. By the time he arrived he was near boiling point. He quickly flashed his ID at the bouncers and made his way towards the bar surreptitiously looking around the dance floor for any sign of his partner. He froze and his heart squeezed painfully when he heard the sound of her laughter from behind him.

Deeks quickly made his way to the bar where he took a seat and watched as Kensi's date pulled her into his arms and began whispering in her ear. He felt his shoulders stiffen when Sabotino's hands began to wander down her hips and a surge of possessiveness quickly filled him. He felt his jaw tighten as he approached from behind intending to cut into the dance when he heard three words from her date that quickly made him see red.

"could kiss you…"

"Not unless you want me to punch you in your CIA eyeball," Deeks said sharply causing the couple on the dance floor to stop dancing and turn to look at him.

The CIA agent kissed Kensi on the cheek and sent Deeks a quick wink over his shoulder as he left the bar. Deeks glared back at the beautiful brunette whose mismatched eyes were shooting daggers at him. If looks could kill.

**Next Up: Fireworks, of course. :) Very excited for tomorrow's new episode!**


	3. Chapter 3

**For anyone still with me...Thank you for being patient. Somehow this story is taken on a life of its own due to the loooonnngggg delay between chapters. This story will now be 6-8 chapters, almost as tags from episode 4.16 to the season finale 4.24, with the last chapter being my take on the amazing season finale. The first two chapters lent themselves so beautifully to my take on the wonderful world of Densi, the Red Team, The box, and of course, The Kiss. So many Epiphany moments...hope you all don't mind. :)**

**This chapter is very much for Babyitsbeautiful and the end is a songfic requested by her a very long time ago. Hope you enjoy. One last Thank you for the AMAZING response to this story.**

**Disclaimer: All characters still not mine and the song is _Prince of Nothing Charming _by Tyler Hilton.**

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The two partners glared at each other in the middle of the crowded dance floor. Deeks took a deep breath and slowly exhaled forcing the tightness in his chest to ease. He recognized the feeling as jealousy and knew he was crossing the boundaries of their partnership by showing up and interrupting her "date," but damned if he could have stopped himself. He knew he had no claim on her, and to be honest, he had no right to be angry that she was spending time with another man, another agent.

Hearing the sound of her laughter was almost a punch in the gut- and he knew it had everything to do with whom she was out with. Their lives were so full of lies and secrets, it was not often they were allowed to be themselves when out in public. The CIA asshole was getting to be with Kensi- the real Kensi- his Kensi and he simply could not control the surge of jealousy he felt when he heard the word "kiss" whispered in his girl's ear, no, his _partner's _ear.

The sound of angry to tapping broke into his silent musings. He focused on the woman standing in front of him, with her arms crossed, who looked tempted to show him the eleven ways she knew how to slit his jugular vein. Deeks forced himself to relax his expression as he casually studied Kensi's angry body stance. His lips began to unconsciously twitch with humor as he backed up a step and protected his man parts. _Yep, definitely pissed at me, _he thought to himself.

"Come here often?" he finally asked trying to diffuse the radiating tension. Her eyes widened and he grimaced when he realized humor was likely going to get him punched, and she was going to make it hurt.

"You did not just…" Kensi exhaled loudly. "Really, Deeks, first you interrupt my date and then you throw out a bad pick up line. What the hell?" she asked scowling angrily.

"I was just answering the 911 text," he tried again, this time with an innocent smile as he held up his cell phone. He took another step back as he realized he was only digging himself deeper when the anger suddenly left her face and an eery calm fell over her.

"911 text?" she asked tightly. "What 911 text?"

"Uhmmm," he started cautiously trying to read her expression, "the one you sent?"

"Would you like to try again?" her voice was deceptively calm as she watched him shift his weight uneasily as silence again fell between them. "Didn't think so," Kensi said giving him a look that looked almost disappointed before she turned and began walking towards the exit. Deeks mouth opened and closed a couple of times before he strode after her and grabbed her wrist gently turning her towards him.

"What is that supposed to mean?" he asked gritting his teeth in frustration.

"Just that you never have anything real to say, just once, the truth would be nice," she shot back as she pulled her wrist from his grasp and glared at him mutinously.

"You wouldn't know the truth if it hit you upside the head…" Deeks responded without thinking as he ran his hands through his hair.

"Excuse me? You did not just say that to me…" Kensi's voice began to raise. "Honestly, I don't know why I even bother…." She muttered as she again turned to walk towards the exit.

"See, typical. Easier to walk away when something or someone doesn't fit in one of your tidy little boxes," Deeks threw towards her back as he stomped out behind her. He nearly collided into her when she suddenly stopped and whirled around angrily.

"Do you have a box fetish or something? What is it with you and boxes. We're partners Deeks, not everything is your business and you were seriously out of line tonight," she said poking his chest for extra emphasis as her eyes flashed up at him.

"You really are stunning when you're angry…" he said with a slight smirk.

"Deeks…" she started warningly.

"Kensi…" he said teasingly before he turned serious. "Your right, I was an ass tonight and I'm sorry." Her eyes narrowed as she watched him for a moment. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?" Deeks asked with a half smile.

"Waiting for the joke….or the punch line. That was way to easy," Kensi said as she continued to watch him suspiciously.

"No joke. So are we good?" he asked looking at her hopefully.

"Fine," she said almost as a question as she sighed deeply. "Yeah, I'm good."

"Good," Deeks said as he began to smile and pull her back into the bar. "Dance with me?"

"Last time we danced you punctured my toes…not sure if this is a good idea," she answered cautiously trying to pull away.

"Hey, now, it's not my fault you insisted on leading," he chuckled softly as he continued to lightly guide her towards the dance floor. "This is a great idea…just one dance?" he wheedled softly giving her puppy dog eyes.

"Fine, one dance," she agreed in a put upon voice, "But if you step on me one time…" she started warningly. He smothered his smirk as a slow song began to play….finally, something was going his way.

_Here comes the part where you say, I don't understand you, yeah  
And all those little things I never get right  
You talk and talk but all that chit chat stuck in lipstick and it's driving me crazy, baby  
And I got nothing when you smile like Mona Lisa 'cause I need ya, I need ya tonight  
And if walls could talk I'd be the prince of nothing charming and it's driving you crazy, baby_

Deeks grasped her hand and slowly drew her into his arms. He heard a slight gasp as he wrapped his arms around her waist, her head cradled onto his shoulder and her hand curled over his heart as slowly they began to sway in perfect harmony. His eyes drifted shut as he lost himself in the rightness of her in his arms.

_It's ten to midnight and this cheap champagne is wearing off, she's tearing off her dress  
God I'm such a mess  
And in the dark she's taking shots at my heart  
She's got it to an art and this how I fall apart_

Deeks felt her breath tickling his neck and could not control the shiver that ran down his spine. He felt the responding quickening of her heartbeat. Slowly his hand ran slowly down her back and pressed her more tightly as his other hand tangled in her hair. Her arms slowly reached up and curled around his neck as she pulled herself more fully against him. The continued to move together almost instinctively, as two parts parts of a whole.

_Oh you love like you wanted to fight like you needed tonight  
Baby it's beautiful  
Oh and you scream like a gun in the night  
Yeah you're starting a fight  
It's like you don't know  
Baby, you're beautiful_

He felt himself lose focus on the room, as if the air began to alter and only the two of them existed in the moment. He knew he should loosen his grip on the woman in his arms, but he was incapable of pulling himself away. Instead he buried his face in the crook of her neck and breathed deeply, inhaling the unique scent of sunshine….and gunpowder….of Kensi.

_Girl you got soul and I don't mind that you go a little crazy  
It's that passion I dig baby, yeah  
The world wants your glow but you're the last one to know  
Baby you're beautiful_

A slight moan echoed between them, and in the moment he was not sure whether the sound came from him or Kensi. All he knew was in this moment, nothing had ever felt so right, so perfect. They continued to dance, pressed together tightly, unsure where one ended and another began, lost together in perfect harmony- in a lover's timeless dance. As the final melody of the song played…

_You're beautiful_

It's ten to midnight and this cheap champagne is wearing off  
It's time that I confess, god I'm such a mess

The two continued to slowly sway even as the music ended. Slowly the noise surrounding them on the dance floor broke into the moment as they reluctantly pulled apart.

"Umm, yeah," Deeks started then stopped, trying to pull together a coherent thought.

"Yeah," Kensi responded shaken as she looked everywhere but at him as she tried to pull herself together.

"See, no broken toes," he tried to lighten the moment.

"Nope," she said, "All ten are still there."

"You ok?" he asked as they continued to stand close.

"Mmm, hmmm. You?" Kensi asked stiltedly.

"Yeah, that was….yeah," Deeks finally said speechless.

"I should go," she said pulling at her hands that he still clasped tightly. "Need my hands though."

"Oh, sorry," he said with a slight laugh as he released her. "Let me give you a ride home."

"I drive," Kensi responded with a teasing smile as she headed towards the exit.

"Nope, my car, I get to drive," he said with a laugh. "I'd like to live to remember tonight."

"Is that a diss on my driving skills?" she asked dryly over her shoulder. She lifted her hand and twirled a set of keys on her finger. "Better be nice to the driver or you may be walking home." She threw a quick wink over her shoulder, content to getting back onto comfortable ground as she walked from the bar.

"How….but….." Deeks started as he patted his pockets and realized his keys were gone. "Seriously, Kens? You felt me up…I feel so violated….damn, I knew you wanted some of this, you only had to ask princess…Fern….sweetums…don't leave without me….." he ran after her as he heard the engine of his car roar to life.

**Next Up: The Box and my take on it. **


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